How life has changed in Bristol

Bristol's population increased by about 47,600 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 430,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Bristol increased by 12.5%, from just under 381,000 to 428,000.

The addition of almost 48,000 people means this area's population was the second-fastest-growing in the South West and increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Bristol was home to, on average, 28 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the South West's most densely-populated unitary authority.

Population density was higher than the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Bristol

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Bristol decreased by one year, from 34 to 33 years.

This area had the lowest average age in the South West and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 18,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by about 1,000.

About 20.0% of people in Bristol are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bristol by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Bristol that rented privately increased from 13.3% to 23.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in five (20.3%) households lived in social housing, compared with 21.0% in 2001. The percentage of Bristol households that owned their home decreased from 62.6% to 54.0%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the South West. As a result, this area had the region’s second highest proportion of privately rented homes.

Isles of Scilly had the South West's highest proportion of privately rented homes (29.7%), while Torbay had the region's third highest proportion (23.2%).

Private renting in Bristol increased by 10 percentage points

Percentage of households in Bristol, the South West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Bristol

The percentage of Bristol residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.1% to 3.4% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.2%, while the percentage of Bristol residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 90.6%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased faster here than anywhere else in the South West. The improvement brought health in Bristol close to the regional average 3.7% in the South West described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

More single people in Bristol

Bristol saw the South West's second-largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just under one in two (47.0%) people aged 16 and over in Bristol said they were single, compared with 40.2% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 41.5% to 36.6%.

Across the region, only Plymouth saw a greater rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership (from 30.2% to 37.1%).

Every local authority area across the South West saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 27.1% to 31.4%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Bristol

In 2011, 6.0% of Bristol residents said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from 2.3% in 2001. The 3.7 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across the South West, the percentage of people from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.5% to 1.0%, while across England the percentage went from 2.4% to 3.6%.

Around 84.0% of people in Bristol said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 91.8% in 2001. About 5.5% said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 3.4% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from 2.1% to 3.6%.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups in Bristol increased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bristol by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Bristol residents that were unemployed increased from 3.1% to 4.3% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who said they were employed remained close to 53.2%, while the percentage of Bristol residents that were self-employed increased from 6.9% to 8.4%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Bristol increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Bristol, the South West and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Bristol saw the South West's second-largest fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just under 1 in 13 (7.5%) households in Bristol had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 8.1% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child remained close to 26.5%.

Across the region, only Isles of Scilly saw a greater fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 6.8% to 6.0%).

Because of its small size, comparisons to Isles of Scilly should be made with caution.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the South West

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Bristol residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care remained close to 2.1% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.0%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across the South West. The improvement brought health in Bristol close to the regional average 2.4% in the South West described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Bristol remained close to 2.1%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bristol by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

Bristol saw the South West's third-largest fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad.

In 2011, just under 1 in 18 (5.5%) in Bristol said their health was bad or very bad, compared with 9.2% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as good or very good increased from 68.6% to 82.3%.

Across the region, only Cornwall (from 10.3% to 6.3%) and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (from 9.3% to 5.5%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across the South West saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 8.5% to 5.1%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Bristol decreased by 3.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Bristol, the South West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Bristol

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Bristol was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.7 points.

In 2011, 40.7% of respondents in Bristol gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 27.0% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South West, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.5% to 32.2%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Bristol, 50.9% said they were Christian, compared with 68.4% in 2001. About 5.6% said they were Muslim, compared with 2.2% a decade prior.

In Bristol, 8.1% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 9.3% in 2001. Across the South West, 7.9% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Bristol increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South West and Bristol by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Bristol working less than 16 hours increased from 2.2% to 3.4% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 13 (7.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 10.9% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 2.1% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Bristol increased by 1.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bristol, the South West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of one-person households changed very little in Bristol, while the proportion increased in Cardiff (one of the most statistically similar areas to Bristol based on ONS area classifications).

In Bristol, the proportion of one-person households stayed close to 33.7% between the last two censuses. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Cardiff increased from 30.2% to 33.1%.

Across the South West, the share of one-person households increased from 29.4% to 30.1%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Bristol increased from 9.7% to 11.8%, while the percentage of households with a married couple decreased from 29.3% to 26.0%.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across the South West

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

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